


Food Goo Does Not a Cake Make

by Betery



Series: Highnoon in the Universe [7]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game), Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gabe is an awesome grandpa, Gen, Lance's Birthday, The voltron team have to scramble to make Lance's b-day awesome, almost angst, not really just hinting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 21:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11952777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betery/pseuds/Betery
Summary: Birthday's happen every year. No one is exempt from that, not even Lance. Just because he's not at home with his Momma doesn't mean he doesn't celebrate it, so the Overwatch fam picks up the slack!! This thing about his birthday also doesn't change when he's in space. Team Voltron find out that it's Lance's birthday and they try to make it a good one.





	Food Goo Does Not a Cake Make

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, uh...yeah. It's been a while. One month actually, hehe...yup. AND I missed Lance's birthday cause I started writing this a few days before it intending on pulling some all-nighters to post it. So, does 4,000 words make up for it? I hope it does. Also, just a heads up I started my fall semester so these will probably come out only monthly. Probably. If I disappear for too long just flood my inbox or something.

**Then:**

**Being away from home for the first time, getting to spend it with his Pa- with OVERWATCH of all places was amazing. Before Lance knew it his birthday had snuck around the corner, and it was his first birthday away from his whole family. But that didn’t mean he didn’t HAVE family to spend it with. He had his Overwatch family, and they were NOT gonna let him forget that it was his birthday.**

**Lance woke with an early start with the intent to spend time with Hanzo before the sun rose. (it had quickly become a habit after Zenyatta encouraged this early sleepy hour to be used as a time for meditation.)**

**Lance stumbled onto the roof where Hanzo was already perched on the edge of the building.**

**“Hello,” Lance mumbled back with a yawn and he stretched his arms back with a large yawn.**

**They sat in silence for a little while. Hanzo then reached into a pocket to grab something before pulling it out and holding it for Lance to take.**

**It was an envelope and inside there was money, some money. A few bills and a..card?**

**Lance took both out and his eyes bugged a bit at the sight: 50 credits in five 10 credits bills AND a card to go with!! The translucent blue card even had his NAME on It in shiny gold lettering!!**

**“There is no true tradition in Japan for what to do during a yearly birthday, but during the new year when it is believed we all age on that day, we give our children some spending money. I know it is not a –“**

**Before Hanzo could finish his sentence, Lance had already attacked him with a hug. “Hanzo, this is an AWESOME present!! Not even my ABUELA gives me this much money in one go, and- and you think I’m like your kid?” Lance babbled on and on, and eventually, Hanzo had to encourage the babbling child to breakfast.**

**Before they could reach it though Gabe stopped by, “Yo, Cielo. Happy birthday.” He grins, the scars on his face stretching a little under his expression. It had taken a bit of getting used to for Lance to get used to, but it wasn’t Lance’s first time having to open up his Horizons and the scars were pretty wicked awesome.**

**Lance salutes, “Hello, sir!” he grins lopsidedly and Reaper snorts, gently shoving Lance.**

**“No need for that now, Niño. You’re Pa’s a bit busy with work. So Jack and I have decided to take you out on the town. 15, right? Growing into a fine man.”**

**Lance felt a pleased blush on his face turn up at all the compliments (which was a little strange coming from a man like Gabe, but whatever. It fed his ego so it was no biggy.)**

**“I’m always up for having a good time!” Lance challenged.**

**Jack and Gabe as famous as they were had to dress in outfits that were extremely…civilian. Gabe wore a beanie Lance was certain his older sister could pull off, and Jack was wearing a graphic T-shirt with Captain America’s shield with the phrase ‘man with a plan’ on it.**

**Lance totally wasn’t embarrassed...he preferred this style choice much preferable over like… baggy pants and backward hats or something.**

**“Let’s get a move on.” Jack grunted and they headed for one of the cars in the garage.**

**They rode for a few hours to the nearby city where Jack and Gabe took lance into a HUGE mall. This place was easily twice the size of the mall back home and the best part was that there was an ARCADE.**

**“Oh man, this is AWESOME!” Lance cheered as he ran into the building, whipping out his card and easily scanning 5 credits into a new separate card for 20 coins of the arcade.**

**He shot zombie Nazi's, beat some butt at the racing games, totally whipped the floor with the ski ball machine- his luck wasn’t running out!**

**Lance was racking up the points and when he was done he handed his card back to the arcade employee with a grin who scanned it, and with his points he got an awesome fidget toy that looked like a ninja star on a ball bearing.**

**Jack and Gabe were sitting on a bench out in front of the arcade and an old woman with knitting supplies was chatting up Gabe in Spanish, she looked over to Lance then back to Gabe, pointing with one of her needles. _Es tuyo?_**

**To which Gabe replies with a soft roll of the eyes, _Si._**

**What…exactly was going on? Jack grunted and stood up. “Enjoy yourself?” Lance grins and starts expanding an epic about his dance dance revolution skills when the old woman starts to giggle.**

**_Una familia ran dulce!_ **

**Oh. Gabe flushed and bid her a quick goodbye. Jack was giving Gabe a look, “No shame- in all my years you have NO SHAME, and all it takes for you to have some humility is for an old lady to call us a sweet family?!”**

**Gabe growled for Jack to shut up and steered them towards a specific direction in the shop.**

**“Now kiddo, you’re growin’ up, and growin’ up means that you’re gonna have to start doing the responsible thing. Like shave. So.” He led them into a VERY old fashioned looking store. “We’re here to get you the right equipment to shave properly. For when you actually start getting hair in places of course.”**

**Lance gasps and cups his hand over his heart staggering back, “You wound me! I, good sir am a _manly man._** ”

**“Let’s just pick you out a razor Cielo,” Gabe says with another roll of his eyes, leading him over to a display case with the various razors. Some were fully metal and clinical with zero class, others had polish wood or pearl they took their time coming back, admiring the sights bonding over Jack and his irritable attitude that couldn’t even be solved by the most purest of puns.**

**Lance considered one of the cases and saw the perfect razor, it’s hilt had a Phoenix etched into the metal, fire for his Pa, and the sheer stubbornness of defying death like Gabe. It was perfect!**

**\--**

**By the time they got back, the sun was setting and the station was dark. They had been gone for a while, but this was weird. There was something off putting about driving up to a huge facility that was normally glowing with life just be…empty.**

**“Winston ship everyone out for a mission?” He looks at Jack and Gabe, who are in typical fashion exchanging words without using words. A cock of an eyebrow, a shrug of a shoulder the tilt of a head-  Gabe broke first with the drop of his shoulders.**

**“Fine. I’ll go in first.” And he pops open the door and exits, making his way inside.**

**It’s just a few minutes before Jack gets a text, and he grunts.**

**“Alright Kid, it’s all clear. Let’s head in. Anything specific you want to eat?”**

**Lance muttered something, maybe scrambled eggs or grilled cheese but he wasn’t really concentrating on that as a small fissure of hurt lacing through him. His Pa just up and left on a mission while they were out? Without telling him?**

**So much for an awesome ending to an already awesome birthday. Lance sighed and took out his two things he got that day. The fidget toy and the razor. (Gabe let him hold onto it, while the rest of the kit was being held by Gabe ‘for when the time is right’)**

**He was examining the carving it tracing the feathers of the bird with his thumb plodding his way to the mess hall. For some reason, THESE light were off too, and with the sun making its last moments on this side of the earth it was quickly becoming WAY too dark. He sighed and pressed his hand on the electric switch to turn on the light which revealed practically _the whole_ crew of Overwatch yelling: **

**“SURPRISE!”**

**Above everyone was a huge banner with the phrase: “Happy Birthday Lance!” And below it was scribbled in Tracer’s handwriting: ‘ _Our future hero_ ’ Pa and Gabe were standing next to a cake that had Lance’s name on it, and next to that cake were a few wrapped presents. **

**Lance could easily pickout his Pa, grinning from ear to ear but Tracer swooped him up into a hug.**

**“Another year older, I can’t believe it!”**

**He laughed, returning her hug ferociously,“It’s not like you’ve known me for very long, but I guess I have that effect on people.” He winked at the end, causing Tracer to cackle and double over,**

**“You bet you do! Oooo now let’s open presents, and then we can do food and cake-“ She went off on a tangent, talking to Mei now, how it was really nice in the _present wasn’t it?_**

**The air was fired up with congratulations and pats on the back (which was an honor coming from Zarya and Reinhardt minus the fact he was going to feel THAT in the morning.**

**“Happy Birthday, Scamp.” Pa opened his arms out, “Whaddya think of this shindig?”**

**“It’s perfect, Pa. How’d you rope Gabe into going birthday shopping with me?”**

**This obviously brought delight to Pa since he busted out a laugh, “I’ll tell you when you’re older, now go blow out those candles. I think Lena’s gonna steal that cake.”**

**Lance rushed to it, wanting all that sugary goodness for himself. Behind him, he heard Gabe and Pa murmuring to one another.**

**“Lance.” Ana greets, putting the candles in the cake. “What did you get on your adventure?”**

**Lance grins, taking out the straight razor. “This piece of beauty.”**

**Ana looks it over and snorts. “He really doesn’t change.”**

**“-I didn’t teach you all my tricks,” Gabe growls with little heat.**

**“Lucky for me I still got a few of my own.” Lance, though turned around could envision his Pa winking, and Pa’s clinking spurs gave Pa’s position away as he got closer to Lance. He held out a lighter. “Ready to light the candles?”**

**“You know it!”**

**The candles were lit and everyone sang happy birthday. Lance blew out the candles and Faareha held up the serving knife.**

**“How big of a slice would you like, birthday boy?”**

**“Surprise me.” He winks.**

**He should not have dared her, the slice he received was much much bigger than he had originally anticipated. Could he finish a fourth of a cake?**

**“Presents!!” Lena cried and grabbed Lance shoving him down at a table so he could open the gifts. There weren’t very many but it was honestly something, and that’s all that mattered.**

**Lena had gotten him an Overwatch hat, not a cowboy hat like Pa’s but a baseball cap would do. Zenyatta and Genji got Lance a little cactus to care for.**

**“Scamp, c’mere a sec.”**

**“Sup, Pa?” He approaches and see’s that Hanzo and Pa are standing together, facing Lance and Pa was hiding something behind his back, from behind himself he pulled out an envelope.**

**“We can’t make nothin’ official.” He starts off with, “But since yer wantin’ to get involved with Overwatch an all when you get older, it’s best for you to have covers when you get in trouble. bank accounts, passports and th’ like.”**

**Lance opened the envelope and inside were a bunch of papers, but there was a plastic ID and on it was a picture of Lance (how had they gotten it?) with a name.**

**Jesse L. Shimada.**

**Lance felt his heart squeeze, “Is, is this like an adoption?” How many dads was Lance gonna end up with? All of them. It was decided. Lance was gonna have all the dads.**

**Lance shed quite a few tears as he hugged Pa and Hanzo.**

**\--**

Now:

It’s Lance’s birthday again and it had started out in the normal fashion of a Galra Fighter raid. He whooped and cheered as each fighter dropped under his fire power getting a rush from seeing the ship get destroyed, like fireworks! Who doesn’t like fireworks on their birthday?

“Take that you Galra scum!” He shouted, powering up the ice beam and set up a beautiful version of what Lance called ‘space bowling’ which meant hunk followed next, destroying all the fighter drones that had been previously frozen.

Not how Lance imagined his birthday starting, but it wasn’t exactly a bad one.

“Holy cow, did you see that?” Lance gushed as they all gathered just outside the hanger, “Shiro, that thing you did with Keith? And Pidge, how you managed to TIE THEM TOGETHER with those vine-y things- beautiful!! And hunk my main man- you never miss an opportunity to save our butts!!”

Everyone was high off a win against the Galra and everyone was grinning stupidly from the endorphins.

Pidge punched Lance in the arm, “And what about you, sharpshooter? I think you froze what…20 people at one with that ice blast of yours? AND knocking those fighters on hunks tail when he was saving Keith’s butt?”

Well, that praise was a bit unexpected but not unwelcome, he flushed and grinned, wrapping an arm around Pidge’s shoulder,“Who, me? Did I do ALL that? Man…I sound awesome, tell me more!”

Pidge rolled their eyes, pushing Lance off grunting in disgust, “That’s it, I’m NEVER fueling your ego again. I’m gonna go run some coding for the Altean Translator!” And they dashed off.

Hunk excused himself too, saying something about a new recipe and Shiro never really _needed_ a reason to go off on his own, the guy’s gone through enough as it was and Allura being the princess and all had all kinds of duties to attend to. Which left Lance alone with Keith.

“Still feeling wound up?” He asked Keith just as a courtesy. Keith was ALWAYS wound up after a mission, “We could spar together if you like.”

Keith gave a soft dark chuckle, “Oh you’re on.”

Lance considered himself an awesomely scary sharpshooter, it’s what he trained himself to be, it’s what flows through his blood. Hand to hand combat, however, was a whole ‘nother beast altogether. Lance ducks a punch and dives into a roll.

“You’re avoiding me too much; common Lance go for the KILL.” The dance continued for a while of Keith going for a punch and Lance rolling away. It was obvious Keith was getting tired of it, so Lance went for a right hook; however, Keith grabbed his elbow and flung Lance onto his back, Keith crouched in front of Lance with a grin, “I didn’t teach you all of my tricks.”

It took a second but lance managed to get back up, “Lucky for you I have a few of my own.” He wheezes, wobbling a bit on his feet.

Was it possible to use the Dead Eye outside of his use of a gun? He had honestly never tried it before, but that was best to be used during an actual training session so Lance filed that thought away for later. Instead, he went for something he had been working on for a while, the pinwheel. He managed to get close enough to Keith by slowly circling him when the moment was right Lance surprised him by knocking Keith’s legs out from under him while he was focused on a fake punch.

Lance cheered and quickly immobilized Keith, pinning his arms and legs. “Happy Birthday to me!” He practically sing-songs and Keith stops. “Wait. Your birthday is TODAY?”

Well that was not the reaction Lance was expecting, “Uh, yeah? What of it?” Play it off, and nothing weird will happen. It’s all cool. You can come back from this Lance. “Hunk’s probably making me a private cake or something. You know, to commemorate the day.” Keith has an expression that Lance couldn’t quite decipher. Keith struggled in the pin and Lance quickly released him.

“Yo, Keith, what’s the matter, man?”

“Nothing.” Keith throws behind him as he walks out of the training ground, “Just gotta...shower or whatever. That last battle really took it out of me.”

Uh...huh. Keith’s weirdness level just rose by 3 but whatever. Lance shrugged. What could he do? He looked at the drones. He could always practice that dead-eye move without guns. Nah, he had nowhere near the stamina to do that right now. He could meditate with blue, try and see if Zen was in that garden place in the ‘iris’ or whatever.

That however also seemed like a lot of work Lance wasn’t particularly up for. Did he have any food goo mask stuff left? Maybe he could do a little spa day for himself, to commemorate the day.

\--

Lance got to his room and he looked himself in the mirror. Official 18, Gabe would be proud and finally hand over all of the shaving gear. Pa would pat him on the back congratulating him and Hanzo would smile and nod in approval.

Momma would’ve made him a HUGE cake, enough to feed not only the Mcclain family but the Overwatch fam as well. Lance reminisced as he spread the goo onto his face. If Lance had been home Momma would’ve woken him up with the smell of frying bread and spicy syrup. It would be a plate piled high of the pan fried toast and fruit would be in a smaller pile beside it. (you’ve got you get your vitamins somewhere Lancey!” Momma would chide.

Of course, Lance would have to fend off his siblings who would ALSO want the first bite of his birthday breakfast and gleefully he would’ve devoured the whole plate in ten bites or less. Oh god he missed his family.

Lance sniffled a little as he grabbed the headphones he had swiped from pidge and his vintage mp3 player. He scrolled through the playlists for the perfect one to fit the occasion and his mood, maybe when his mask had time to set he would-

Knock Knock.

“Who’s there?” Lance called out, taking off the headphones and got up to go see who was at the door.

 Lo and behold there was Keith. Hands shoved in his pockets and his ‘I’m thinking extremely hard’ expression twisted on his face.

“Sup, mullet?” Lance greets, this seemed to snap Keith out of it, his figure jerking a bit at the nickname.  Keith finally stopped examining his shoes to look at Lance who was so conveniently in his full Spa attire. (fuzzy lion slippers and all)

“Uh, spa day. For your birthday since I don’t really have anything to give you I thought we could make it a spa day. Together.”

Lance gasped, placing a hand delicately over his heart in 20% fake astonishment and 85% real astonishment.

“You…want to participate in… SKIN CARE.”

Keith hunched his shoulder and grumbled, “Are you gonna let me do this for you or not?”

Ever the opportunist he grabbed Keith and dragged him into his room. “Wash your face while I grab the food goo!”

Lance had some work to do, and seeing the terrified expression on Keith’s face was SO worth it.

“You know, Lena and Mei would be all over this.” Lance shares, “Probably Lucio too, but with all that facial hair he wouldn’t be able to get all of the important areas, wouldn’t stop him though.” He babbled as he smoothed an even layer of food goo over Keith’s face, who had his eyes closed which was wise because getting this stuff in your eyes is not fun. When Lance finished Keith opened his eyes.

“Who the heck are Lena Mei and Lucio?”

Lance blinked, “Members of Overwatch.” He helpfully supplied, “Lena is tracer, Mei is a scientist and Lucio is an awesome rebel Popstar DJ.”

“Ah. I remember Tracer…she’s cool.” Lance grinned.

“She’s the best, but Mei is the SWEETEST human being on birth. She was at the eco point-“ And for the next half hour he gossiped and shared about the people he knew in Overwatch.

“Hanzo and you would totally jive. I mean, you both like the quiet and would point sharp objects at each other as compliments.”

Keith rolled his eyes, “I’m sure it takes more to impress an assassin.”

“Believe me, tell him your part of a secret alien assassin society he’ll totally love you and adopt you.”

Keith didn’t look very convinced, getting up from the bed. “I’m gonna wash this stuff off.” And headed for the bathroom connected to this room, Lance would wash his face after but there was a call of: “You shave?” that confused Lance. He headed into the room to find Keith holding his razor with a critical expression, examining the handle and the dulling blade.

“The craftsmanship is beautiful.” Keith compliments, looking over at Lance. (god Keith looked so DIFFERENT with his hair up in clip and his face covered in food goo) “Where did you get it?”

“Gibraltar.” Lance answers, smiling a bit wistfully at the memory, “It was a gift to me by my Pa’s mentor. You would’ve like him, had a flair for the dramatic just like you do.”

Keith opened his mouth to say something but snapped his jaw shut. Lance pocketed the razor. “Come on, I’m pretty sure Hunk’s done cooking that cake for me by now. Let’s wash this goo off and head to the mess hall yeah? I REALLY want to know what a food goo cake looks like.”

\--

Lance got a weird sense of De’ja’vu when he and Keith walked into a mess hall that didn’t have its lights on.

“Uh, hello?” Lance called out and BAM the lights flickered on with multiple shouts of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LANCE.”

Lance grinned, a small knot that had worked it’s way into Lance’s chest unravelling a bit. “Aww guys you’re all too sweet!” Hunk was the first to wrap him in a hug squeezing tight, “Love ya buddy!” Lance laughed and patted his back, “Now let me see that cake, I’m dyin’ of curiosity over here!”

Hunk gave a boisterous laugh, “Oh I bet you are, voi la!” And revealed a…very normal looking cake, it was some kind of light green frosting and it didn’t look gelatinous at all. Lance looked at Hunk with wide searching eyes, Hunk the devil that he was, was grinning mischievously.

“I managed to convince a merchant to give me the equivalent of a boxed cake and a few other food ingredients in exchange for telling her-I think it was a her anyway- a secret. Which is my mom’s personal recipe for ‘Ota ‘Ika. Don’t ever tell her I told anyone, Lance- but here we are, by the way I think the frosting is some kind of citrus rather than mint like green normally-“

Lance was hugging the heck out of his best friend and Hunk, being the lovable and huggable guy, he is hugged back. “Happy birthday.” He says again.

Pidge was sitting on a counter, typing away at their laptop concentrating super hard. Shiro looked ready to intervene and Lance immediately went:

 “I wanna cut into my cake, are we gonna sing the song or-“

“Well Allura and Coran don’t know the words.” Shiro responds, “But I suppose cutting into the cake isn’t a bad idea.”

As they shared cake Pidge finally finished whatever they were doing, and held up a thumb drive to Lance.

“These aren’t the best pictures, but…Overwatch is your family, just like we all are but sometimes having pictures can help you through the darker patches…I can’t really give you much else than this. You can upload it to-“

Lance swooped Pidge up into a hug, “This is awesome Pidge, you are the best gremlin in all of space!!”

Pidge flailed and screeched, “Lance, bubble space!!! Release me you octopus!!”

After a minute, more of hugging he released them, lance couldn’t wait to see what pictures Pidge had managed to procure from their archives of nerdiness.

Lance was munching on some of the cake when there was a tap on his shoulder, “It seems the custom in your birthday rituals involves gift exchanges; I’m sorry to say I don’t have anything.” Allura admitted, her face creased with displeasure. “So, allow me to say this: Happy Birthday Lance. May we have many more celebrations together, as a team.”

A warm fuzzy spot snuck its way into lance’s heart and he grinned, “Don’t worry princess, I get the feeling that you’ll have plenty more chances to get me birthday presents.

Allura laughed, “Yes, I suppose so.” The last person to approach lance as Coran who was holding a few sheets of paper (wow, where had Coran gotten PAPER in this castle.)

“Happy day of Birth, Lance. Here, I made you this!” And Lance took the pieces of paper and read the script (in ENGLISH no less)

**_‘_** ONE: ** _get out of cleaning duty ticket’_**

“Awww Coran!” Lance teared up, wrapping Coran in a hugs (so many hugs) “You’re the best! I-I told myself I wasn’t gonna cry but you LITERALLY giving me an excuse to be lazy? The waterworks are flowing, man!”

Coran laughed, patting his back, “I knew you would appreciate it, but you’ve only got three, and I’ll know when you’ve used them!”

Lance pulled back, grinning from ear to ear, wiping away the tears. “Yeah, totally.”

Lance may not be celebrating his birthday on earth, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t spending it with family. These people were as much as his family as anyone else, and that Lance thought, was the best gift in the Universe.

Authors Note: The razor thing is a reference to a series I love to DEATH, it's called Lone Wolf and you should give it a read! It has shipping in it between Hanzo and Mcree but you can skip those parts if you want to get to the juicy angst bits between the apprentice-mentor stuff. The link to the story is, [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8028304/chapters/18383101).

**Author's Note:**

> How was it? Did you like it? hate it? I would like to point out that I have no idea if the Spanish I used in here was correct. If anyone knows how exactly this would be properly said feel free to correct me! Don't forget to comment and Kudos!!  
> See you next time, darlings!!


End file.
